Linked Up: 12/19/11

December 19, 2011

We've hit a bit of a slow spot with schools out for break and most contests reserved for holiday showcases and the like.

Here are some suggestions if you have some time for some reading between now and the start of 2012.

High school coaches try to bring basketball back to basics (Detroit News)

For most of the last decade, we've heard about the recessing of basketball fundamentals even among elite high school players. Enter Ben Kelso, Marshall Thomas and a number of other Michigan coaches who have pledged to end that trend. Tom Markowski tells us how the Metro Detroit Basketball Coaches Association aims to do so.

Lantzy retires after more than 4 decades as Ike grid coach (Macomb County Advisor & Source)

Utica-Eisenhower coach Bob Lantzy has been his school's only varsity football coach. He took four teams to MHSAA Finals and this fall became one of only nine state football coaches to win more than 900 games. He has retired after 41 seasons, and Kevin Lozon fills us in on the legacy.

Tabahn Afrik poised for greatness in pool for West Ottawa (Holland Sentinel)

The Holland area has its next big swimming star. Dan D'Addona introduces us to Tabahn Afrik, a freshman at Holland West Ottawa who qualified for the MHSAA Division 1 Finals in two events in his first meet this season.

High school basketball: History of class hoops is just that (South Bend Tribune)

"Hoosiers" made Indiana's former one-class basketball tournament known on a grander scale. But Indiana went to classes (similar to Michigan's) beginning in 1997-98. Al Lesar tells us how some in the state are attempting to revert to one class.

Today in the MHSAA: 9/30/24

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 30, 2024

1. CROSS COUNTRY The Marquette boys and Goodrich girls won the Elite races at the Shepherd Invitational and were among eight varsity champions overall; Marquette’s boys are top-ranked in Upper Peninsula Division 1, and the Goodrich girls and No. 2 in Lower Peninsula Division 2 – Midland Daily News | Athletic.net

2. BOYS SOCCER Division 2 No. 11 Bay City John Glenn shut out all three of its opponents to win the Swartz Creek Invitational and broke its program record for wins – Bay City Times

3. CROSS COUNTRY The Stevensville Lakeshore girls won the Berrien County championship for the first time since 2009, and Buchanan’s LPD3 No. 11 boys were repeat champs – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium | Athletic.net

4. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Allen Park won its first Downriver Classic championship since 2010 – Southgate News-Herald

5. VOLLEYBALL Maddy Kreider filled the scoresheet in leading Kingsford to a 10-0 record and victory at the Marquette Invitational – Iron River Daily News

6. BOYS TENNIS Muskegon Reeths-Puffer edged Whitehall to win the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association championship – Local Sports Journal

7. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD1 No. 13 Grand Haven and Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian girls and LPD2 No. 2 Allendale and LPD3 No. 5 Saugatuck boys were champions at the Allendale Invitational – Grand Haven Tribune | Athletic.net

8. GIRLS GOLF Grand Rapids Christian carded a 348 to win the Ludington Invitational by five strokes ahead of Spring Lake – Ludington Daily News

9. CROSS COUNTRY The Pinckney and Ann Arbor Huron girls and Birmingham Groves boys were among winners at the Coaching Legends Classic – Livingston Daily Press & Argus | Athletic.net

10. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD3 No. 9 Leslie girls and LPD2 No. 13 Marshall boys were champions at the Stockbridge Invitational – Coldwater Daily Reporter | Athletic.net